Letters

We don’t need to accept the rubbish the media dishes up

TV company Love Productions came to Southampton’s Derby Road this year to make a series about immigration in the style of last year’s Benefits Street.

This would have pushed immigration further up the political agenda ahead of the election.

A campaign of local opposition made sure they did not succeed.

People worried that distorted and sensational coverage might cause divisions in the community and could open the area up to the attention of the far right.

People were aware of the harm that had been caused to some of those portrayed in Benefits Street in Birmingham.

And they’re angry at Channel 4’s title Immigration Street. Just as in Benefits Street most residents are not actually on benefits, so in Immigration Street are most not immigrants.

Many peoples’ families have lived in the area for two or three generations. But it seems that for Channel 4 if you don’t have white skin then you are automatically an immigrant.

Local residents set up a campaign to oppose the making of the programmes. There were several large public meetings and a demonstration outside Channel 4 headquarters in London.

Many homes and shops carried window posters against the filming.

What the producers ended up with fell far short of their intentions. Very few locals were willing to take part.

Much of the programme focused on the difficulties the production team faced because of overwhelming local opposition.

The result was a mean spirited attempt to portray the area as violent and criminal.

Just one episode was made, rather than six. And the viewing figures were much lower than for Benefits Street.

The success of the campaign shows that we don’t have to just sit back and accept any old rubbish the media dishes up.

Ian Hogg, Southampton

Demand SNP gives top cop the boot

Anger is building about Police Scotland’s stop and search policy. The policy has been rolled out since the controversial creation of a single Scottish force under top cop Stephen House. This has led to more stops per year than are performed by London’s Met.

There is particular concern about “consensual” stops of children as young as nine. After a debate in parliament the police said they would cease the practice. But they simply continued as before.

When challenged on this, House arrogantly accused MSPs of political interference. Under parliamentary scrutiny last week he gave very poor justifications for the policy and his behaviour.

It comes just months after the row about House’s policy of having some officers on routine duties armed. People have been shocked to see armed police on traffic duty or policing a peaceful demo.

There are demands for legislation to ensure that all stop and search is statutory and the police obey the law.

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has replaced Kenny McAskill, the justice minister who supported these policies. Now she needs to demand the resignation of Stephen House.

Margaret Woods, Glasgow

End the nightmare of railway privatisation

Since privatisation the cost of rail travel has risen disproportionately compared to inflation.

But the standards of virtually every rail company has dropped year on year.

The East Coast mainline franchise made a profit of £13 million last year with the cash returned to the Treasury.

This is in stark contrast to Northern Rail. It has shocking punctuality records and a record of treating its staff appallingly.

Northern Rail plans to temporarily plug a gap in its rolling stock with ageing old London Tube trains to replace even older and more unreliable Pacers.